Counter reset mechanism



April 13, 1965 R. H. DEVANNEY 3,177,645

COUNTER RESET MECHANISM Filed March 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

I 6 o 3 9 O 5 O 9 2 8 o 5 l l 5 3 4 0 O o 4 2 3 O 9 5 3 2 INVENTOR. 2 4O RAYMOND H. DEVANNEY 2 8 3 2 5 L E Q.

(WW7, WM M/V7ld/ ATTORNEYS April 13, 1965 Filed March 25, 1963 FIG. 4

R. H. DEVANNEY 3,177,645

COUNTER RESET MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 O0 O2 27 O0 O3 28 O0 O4 29O0 05 O0 O0 O6 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H. DEVANNEY WW 7917M M5 74 ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,177,645 COUNTER RESET MEC a ISM Raymond H.Devanney, Berlin, Conn., assignor to Veeder- Root Incorporated,Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser.No. 267,665 11 Claims. (Cl. 58-2) indicator wheels of a counter to theirinitial or prime positions in cooperation with the conventionaladvancement of the counter and at selected positions during theadvancement thereof.

It is another (aim of the present invention to provide a counter resetmechanism of the type described which is particularly useful withcounters having electrical stepping motors for advancing the counterwheels and further having transfer switches that are selectivelyactuated during the advancement of the counter wheels for energizing thestepping motors.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide an improvedelectric clock of the counter type that will automatically reset or zerothe counter indicator wheels at the conclusion of the normal time cycle,i.e., midnight, in a matter of seconds and without interfering with theaccuracy of the clock.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a counter resetmechanism that is economical to manufacture and assemble, and wln'ch iscomprised of a minimum number of compactly arranged parts providingreliability over along period of use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a clock counter embodying thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view partly broken away of the counter;

FIG. 3 shows developments of the indicia on the counter indicatorwheels;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation section view taken along the line4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic showingof the electrical circuit of the clockcounter; and

FIG. 6 shows a table of several successive readings of the counter.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a counter havingsix rotary indicator wheels it 12, 1d, 16, 18 and 20 mounted coaxiallywithin a housing, generally denoted 23, having a front cover 22 with anopening 24 for viewing individual indicia on the indicator wheels. Theparticular counter shown is used as a clock for displaying time througha twenty-four hour period, with the indicators 10 and 12 used to displayseconds, the indicators 14 and 16 used to display minutes and theindicators 18 and 20 used to display hours; the time reading of thecounter of FIG. 1 being 17 hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds. Referringto FIG. 3 wherein developments of the wheel indicia are shown, with thecounter reading of 17 hours, 21 minutes and 40 seconds displayed by thebottom line of numerals, the lower order hours, minutes and secondsindicator wheels 18, 14 and 10, respectively, bear thereon a sequence ofnumeral indicia of 0 through 9, the higher order minutes and secondsindicator wheels 16 and 12, respectively, bear thereon two sequences ofnumeral indicia of 0 through 5 and the higher order hours indicatorwheel 20 bears thereon two numeral sequences of 001122, a series ofrepeating numerals.

Stepping motor and transfer switch assemblies 11, 13, 15, 1'7, 19 and 21are associated with the rotary indicator wheels 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and20, respectively, for advancing and controlling the advancement of thecounter wheels. Each assembly includes an electrical stepping motor,generally denoted by the numeral 26, having an electrical solenoid 28and an armature 30 pivotally mounted on an assembly support frame 31 bya pin 33. The armature 30 is biased in one pivotal direction, clockwiseas seen in FIG. 4, by a tension coil spring 34 and is actuated in theopposite pivotal direction against the coi spring by the magnetic forcecreated by the solenoid 28. The armature 30 is adapted tounidirectionally drive its respective rotary indicator wheel in thecounterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 4, in step-by-step fashionthrough a ratchet operating finger 4% fixed to the armature by a pair ofscrews 46, a ratchet wheel 44, and a pair of intermeshing spur gears 40and 42 fixed to the ratchet wheel 44 and the indicator wheel,respectively. Movement of the ratchet wheel in the opposite or clockwisedirection is prevented in a conventional manner by a resilient fingerpawl 45. The ratchet finger 48 is adapted for resilient engagement withthe ratchet wheel 44 for single step advancement of the ratchet wheelthereby providing a clockwise step advancement of the indicator wheel inresponse to each pivotal oscillation of the stepping motor armature.

For controlling the actuation of the stepping motors associated with theindicator wheels 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 there are provided for energizingeach of these motors electrical transfer switches, generally denoted 49,with contacts 56) and 52 that are selectively activated with theadvancement of the respective next adjacent lower order counter wheel bya cam 54 fixed for rotation with the associated ratchet wheel 44. Theswitch contacts 50 and 52 are mounted on resilient switch arms 56 and58, respectively, and are selectively brought into electrical contact toactivatev the switch 49 by the advancement of the cam 54 into engagementwith the switch arm 56. The switch 49 is deactivated upon theadvancement of the cam 54 out of engagement with the switch arm 56 andthe substantially simultaneous engagement of the cam with the upturnedend 60 of a resilient switch backing finger 62 adapted to normally biasthe resilient switch arm 58 to the position shown in FIG. 4. Eachtransfer switch 49 is electrically connected in series with the solenoid28 of the stepping motor of the next adjacent higher order counterwheel, with an electrical power source generally denoted by the numeral64, and with the transfer switch 49 associated with the next adjacentlower order indicator wheel.

A counting or stepping switch, generally denoted by the numeral 66, isconnected in series with the power supply 64- and with the solenoid asof the stepping motor of the first or lowest order indicator wheel, andin series with the transfer switch 49 of the lowest order indicatorwheel. Accordingly, with each activation of the counter stepping switch66, the solenoid 28 associated with the lowest order indicator isenergized to pivot its stepping motor armature in the counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 4. Upon deactivation of the stepping switch66, the solenoid 28 is deenergized to enable the coil spring 34 toreturn the armature 3t) and index the ratchet wheel to advance theindicator wheel 10. With the indicator wheel 10 in its 9 displayingposition, the cam 54 associated therewith activates its respectivetransfer switch 49 to condition the circuit for energization of thesolenoid 28 associated with the indicator wheel 12 by the subsequentactivation of the stepping switch 66. i a

Advancement of the remaining counter wheels is pro vided byappropriately timed activation of the remaining transfer switches 49.Inasmuch as the indicator wheels 12 and 16 have two sequences ofnumerals of through 5, two equally spaced transfers of the next adjacenthigher order indicator wheels are provided by. a pair of diametricallyopposed cams 54 associated with the indicator wheels 12 and 16.

The next to highest order indicator wheel 18 has operatively connectedthereto a pair of cams 54 provided for generating transfers to thehighest order indicator 2t} upon advancement of the indicator wheel 18from 9 to 0 and from 3 to 4; However, inasmuch as the indicator wheel20has a sequence of repeating numeral indicia, there is a numeral changedisplayed by the wheel 20 only with the advancement of the indicatorwheel 13 from 9 to 0.

A reset switch '70, similar in design and operation to the transferswitches 49, is selectively activated by a pair of earns 54 operativelyassociated with the highest order indicator wheel 20 upon advancement ofthe wheel 20 to the second number 2 in each sequence of numerals onwheel 20, such being concomitant with the advancement of the indicatorwheel 18 from 3 to 4 or with the advancement of the clock from 23 hours,59 minutes and 59 seconds to 24 hours, 00 minutes and 00 seconds. Theselatter clock readings are represented by the top two lines in the tableof FIG. 6. The reset switch 70 is connected in a reset circuit in serieswith the counter stepping switch 66, the electrical power supply 64 andthe solenoid 28 of the indicator wheel 13, with theresultthat thereset'switch is adapted to condition the reset circuit for energizationof thestepping motor associated with the indicator wheel 18 in relationto the advancement ofthe wheel 20 to its final indicia displayingposition, and with the further result that the indicator wheel 18. isadvanced simultaneously with 7 the lowest order indicator 10 as theclock reads from 24 hours, 00 minutes and 00 seconds to 00 hours, 00minutes and 06 seconds, a period of six seconds during which the resetswitch is. activated, as shown in the table of FIG. 6. As the transferswitch 49 associated with the indicator wheel 18 is. activated inrelation to the advancement of the Wheel 18 from 9 to 0, that switchacts to condition the reset circuit, by advancing the wheel 20 todeactivate the reset switch, for the deenergization of the steppingmotor of the wheel 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stepping switch 66 is intermittently activatedby a cam 80 intermittently driven by an electrical motor 88 through aplanetary gear 86, an idler gear 82 and a spur gear 84 fixed to the cam80. The speed of the motor and the design of the gearing is such thatthe stepping switch 66 is activated at one second intervals therebyadvancing the lower order seconds wheel 11 one numeral every second.

It can be seen therefore, that the present invention provides a reliableand highly effective reset mechanism for automatically and quicklyindexing counter wheels to their initial indicia or prime positions andwhich is particularly useful with a counter having individual electricalstepping motors for advancing the counter wheels. Additionally, thepresent invention provides a new and unique reset mechanism that isbased upon the use of a series of multiple repeating indicia on oneindicator wheel and the generation of the same multiple of transfersthereto during the advancement of the next adjacent lower orderindicator wheel through its indicia sequence.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationand adaptations of the structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I v

1. A counter comprising a plurality of number wheels of ascending order,electrically operated drive means for individually advancing the numberwheels in stepwise fashion to a plurality of positions, electrical powermeans connected to the drive mean of the number wheel of lowest orderfor periodically energizing said number wheel of lowest order, meansassociated with each number wheel of lower order for connecting thedrive means of the number wheel of next higher order to said electricalpower means for providing a transfer, and additional means associatedwith the number Wheel of highest order for connecting the drive means ofthe number wheel of next to highest order to said electrical power meansat a pre determined position of the number wheel of highest order,

2. A counter comprising a plurality of number wheels of ascending order,electrically operated drive means for individually advancing the numberwheels in stepwise fashion to a plurality of positions, electrical powermeans for connection to the drive means for periodically energizing thedrive means, means associated with one number wheel of lower order forconnecting the drive means of the number wheel of next higher order tosaid power means at a plurality of the positions of said one numberwheel, and additional means associated with the number wheel of nexthigher order for connecting the drive means of said one number wheel tosaid power means at a predetermined position of the number wheel, ofnext higher order.

3. A counter comprising a plurality of number wheels of ascending order,electrically operated drive means for individually advancing the numberwheels in stepwise fashion to a plurality of positions, one number wheelof higher'order having 'a sequence of groups of repeating indicia,electrical power means for energizing said drive means, first switchmeans for conditioning the drive means of said one number Wheel foroperation by said power means, means associated with a second numberwheel of lower order for actuating said first switch means at apinrality of positions of saidsecond number wheel, second switch meansfor conditioning the drive means of said second number wheel foroperation by said power means, and means associated with said one numberwheel actuating said second switch means at a position of said onenumber wheel displaying the last indicia in one of the groups ofrepeating indicia.

4. For use with a counter having a plurality of indicia bearing membersadvanced from initial indicia displaying positions providing an initialreading of the counter through intermediate indicia displaying positionsto final indicia displaying positions providing a final reading of thecounter, a reset mechanismfor indexing at least one of the members to aninitial indicia displaying position upon advancement of the counterthrough its final read ing comprising, electrical motor meansoperatively con nected to the counter for indexing said, one member,reset control means for energizing the electrical motor means includingan electrical circuit having first and second electrical switches, meansoperatively connected to the counter activating the first switch inrelation to the advancement of the counter to its final reading, andmeans operatively connected to the one member activating the secondswitch in relation to the advancement of the one member to an initialindicia displaying position, said reset control means being conditionedfor energizing the motor means by activation of the first switch andvconditioned for deenergizing the motor means by activation of the secondswitch.

5. For use with a counter having a plurality of indicia bearing membersof ascending order advanced from initial indicia displaying positionsproviding an initial reading of the counter through intermediate indiciadisplaying positions to final indicia displaying positions providing afinal reading of the counter, a reset mechanism for indexing one of themembers other than the last order member to an initial indiciadisplaying position upon advancement of the counter through its finalreading comprising, electrical motor means operatively connected to thecounter for indexing said one member, electrical circuit means includingan electrical switch activated for energizing the electrical motormeans, switch operating means operatively connected to a second memberof higher order than said one member activating said switch in relationto the advancement of said second member to a final indicia displayingposition, said switch operating means deactivating said switch inrelation to the advancement of said second member to an initial indiciadisplaying position whereby resetting of the one member is initiated inrelation to the advancement of the counter through its final reading andterminated in relation to the advancement of said second member to aninitial indicia displaying position.

6. For use with a counter adapted for displaying a reading sequence andhaving a plurality of rotary members of ascending order each bearing asequence of indicia thereon with the first order member adapted to beadvanced from an initial indicia displaying position providing in partan initial reading of the counter through a plurality of intermediateindicia displaying positions to a final indicia displaying positionproviding in part a final reading of the counter and with transfersgenerated for advancing the remaining rotary members from initialindicia displaying positions providing in part the initial reading ofthe counter through intermediate indicia displaying positions to finalindicia displaying positions providing in part the final reading of thecounter, a reset mechanism for indexing one of the rotary members otherthan the last order rotary member to an initial indicia displayingposition upon advancement of the counter through its final readingcomprising, electrical motor means operatively connected to the counterfor indexing said one rotary member, electrical circuit means includingan electrical switch activated for energizing the motor means, meansoperatively connected to a second rotary member of next higher orderthan said one rotary member activating said switch in relation to theadvancement of the counter to its final reading position anddeactivating said switch in relation to the advancement of said secondrotary member to an initial indicia displaying position, and meansproviding at least two transfers of said second rotary member withadvancement of said one rotary memher through a complete sequence ofindicia, said second rotary member bearing a sequence of repeatingindicia whereby resetting of the one rotary member is initiated inrelation to the advancement of the counter to its final reading and isterminated in relation to the advancement of the second rotary indicatorto an initial indicia displaying position.

7. A counting device comprising a plurality of rotary indicators ofascending order having indicia thereon for displaying a readingsequence, a plurality of electrical stepping motors operativelyconnected for advancing the rotary indicators respectively, a resetswitch operatively connected to the counter for activation in relationto the rotary position of the last order rotary indicator, transferswitches operatively connected to the counter for activation in relationto the rotary positions of the remaining rotary indicators, a countingswitch electrically connected with the stepping motor of the first orderrotary indicator for controlling the advancement thereof, first circuitmeans electrically connecting the transfer switches with electricalstepping motors of next higher order indicators for energizing thestepping motors in relation to the rotary position of the next lowerrotary indicators, and second circuit means electrically connecting thereset switch with a stepping motor of one of the rotary indicators otherthan said last order rotary indicator whereby the first 6 orderindicator is advanced by the counting switch, the remaining rotaryindicators are advanced by the transfer switches, and said one rotaryindicator is additionally indexed by the reset switch.

8. In a counting device of the type having a plurality of rotaryindicators of ascending order each bearing a sequence of indicia andadapted to be advanced from initial indicia displaying positionsproviding an initial reading of the counter through intermediate indiciadisplaying positions to final indicia displaying positions providing afinal reading of the counter thereby displaying a reading sequence, andwherein the final reading of the counter is displayed in part by anintermediate indicia in the sequence of one of the rotary indicators,the improvement comprising electrical motor means for indexing said onerotary indicator, electrical circuit means for energizing the electricalmotor means, means operatively connected to a second rotary indicator ofhigher order than said one rotary indicator activating the electricalcircuit means in relation to the advancement of said second rotaryindicator to a final indicia displaying position and deactivating theelectrical circuit means in relation to the advancement of said onerotary indicator to an initial indicia displaying position.

9. For use with a counter adapted for displaying a reading sequence andhaving a plurality of rotary members of ascending order each bearing asequence of indicia thereon, with the first order member adapted to beadvanced from an initial indicia displaying position providing in partan initial reading of the counter through intermediate indiciadisplaying positions to a final indicia displaying position providing inpart a final reading of the counter and with transfers generated foradvancing the remaining rotary members from initial indicia displayingpositions providing in part the initial reading of the counter throughintermediate indicia displaying positions to final indicia displayingpositions providing in part the final reading of the counter, a resetmechanism for indexing one of the rotary members to an initial indiciadisplaying position upon advancement of the counter through its finalreading comprising, an electrical stepping motor operatively connectedto the counter for indexing said one rotary member, reset control meansfor energizing the electrical stepping motor including an electricalcircuit having reset switch means and stepping switch means, said resetswitch means upon activation conditioning the electrical circuit forenergization of the stepping motor by the stepping switch means, meansoperatively connected to the counter activating the reset switch meansin relation to the advancement of the counter to its final reading, andmeans providing cooperative activation between the stepping switch meansand the advancement of the counter.

10. A clock counting device for displaying time com prising a pluralityof rotary indicators of ascending order each bearing a sequence ofindicia thereon, the last order and next to last order rotary indicatorsbearing indicia for displaying the tens and units of hours respectively,a plurality of electrical stepping motors operatively connected foradvancing the rotary indicators respectively, a reset switch operativelyconnected to the counter for activation in relation to the rotaryposition of the last order rotary indicator, transfer switches connectedfor activation in relation to the rotary positions of the remainingrotary indicators, a counting switch electrically connected with thestepping motor of the first order rotary indicator for controlling theadvancement thereof, first circuit means electrically connecting thetransfer switches with electrical stepping motors of next higher orderindicators for energizing the stepping motors in relation to the rotarypositions of the next lower rotary indicators, and second circuit meanselectrically connecting the reset switch with the stepping motor of saidnext to last order rotary indicator whereby the first order rotaryindicator is advanced by the counting switch, the remaining order rotaryindicators are advanced by the transfer switches and the next A to lastrotary indicator is additionally indexed by the reset switch.

11. A counter device comprising a pair of rotary indicators of lower andhigher order each bearing a sequence of indicia thereon for displaying areading sequence, the higher order indicator being adapted foradvancement from an initial indicia displaying position providing inpart an initial reading of the counter to a final indicia displayingposition for providing in part a final reading of the counter, theindicia sequence on said higher order rotary indicator being a series ofmultiple repeating indicia, means providing the same multiple oftransfers of the rotary indicator of higher order upon advancement ofthe rotary indicator of lower order through its sequence of indicia, andreset means for resetting the indicator of lower order to an initialindicia displaying position in relation to the advancement of the higherorder indicator through its sequence of indicia, said reset meansincluding means indexing said lower order indicator to an initialindicia displaying position, and means activating the indexing means inrelation to the advancement of the higher order indicator to a finalindicia displaying position.

Time Generator Gives Direct Readout, Electronics, March 1956, pp.179-181.

1. A COUNTER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF NUMBER WHEELS OF ASCENDING ORDER,ELECTRICALLY OPERATED DRIVE MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY ADVANCING THE NUMBERWHEELS IN STEPWISE FASHION TO A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS, ELECTRICAL POWERMEANS CONNECTED TO THE DRIVE MEANS OF THE NUMBER WHEEL OF LOWEST ORDERFOR PERIODICALLY ENERGIZING SAID NUMBER WHEEL OF LOWEST ORDER, MEANSASSOCIATED WITH EACH NUMBER WHEEL OF LOWER ORDER FOR CONNECTING THEDRIVE MEANS OF THE NUMBER WHEEL OF NEXT HIGHER ORDER TO SAID ELECTRICALPOWER MEANS FOR PROVIDING A TRANSFER, AND ADDITIONAL MEANS ASSOCIATEDWITH THE NUMBER WHEEL OF HIGHEST ORDER FOR CONNECTING THE DRIVE MEANS OFTHE NUMBER WHEEL OF NEXT TO HIGHEST ORDER TO SAID ELECTRICAL POWER MEANSAT A PREDETERMINED POSITION OF THE NUMBER WHEEL OF HIGHEST ORDER.